Kilmallock lay down another marker in Limerick championship with emphatic win over Doon

Pierce Connery was the star alongside Treaty ace Shane O'Brien as they now target an automatic semi-final place

CLINICAL: Kilmallock's Shane O'Brien was in top form against Doon. Picture: Matt Browne/Sportsfile

Kilmallock 3-23 Doon 1-17 

Kilmallock made another statement victory with a 12-point victory over 2025 runners-up and 2024 champions Doon at the TUS Gaelic Grounds.

Last week, it was the holders Na Piarsaigh, but on Thursday evening, an even greater hour of hurling brought home another valuable two points. The direct route to the last four is now in reach.

Goals from Shane O’Brien, Oisin O’Reilly and Michaél Houlihan propelled them to a comfortable victory over Doon, who played the final third of the contest with 14 men. Throw in the free-scoring Pierce Connery and the men in green and white have the arsenal to take on anything that Limerick may over this autumn. 

Graeme Mulcahy, in a deeper lying role once again delivered an experienced and controlled display.

It is a second victory for Kilmallock and head to the three-week break knowing one victory for their final three games will ensure knockout hurling. O’Brien, their free-scoring focal point has now been surrounded by others who can find the target, while at the back, they’ve looked assured.

Both sides had collected opening round wins – Kilmallock a first win over Na Piarsaigh since 2020, while Doon had too much for Ballybrown last Friday evening.

Racing into a 1-5 to no score lead after just five minutes, the winners signalled their intent. Shane O’Brien’s fourth-minute goal surrounded by points from Pierce Connery (2), Graeme Mulcahy, Michaél Houlihan’s brace of placed balls.

Derek McGrath’s Doon eventually found the target after eight minutes, through Adam English but they were chasing the Balbec all through. This was despite some quality scores from Cian O’Donovan, Pat Ryan in reply, but it was double scores, 1-7 to 0-5 by the quarter hour.

Despite a growing influence from Pat Ryan, Cian O’Donovan and English, Doon were too porous, and Conor Hanley Clarke’s puckouts found their targets too easily.

James Hickey, the Clare native, saw his south Limerick side leading 2-13 to 0-13 by half-time thanks to their second goal, which arrived on 23 minutes from the speedy Oisin O’Reilly.

After Chris Thomas was dismissed after 40 minutes, the writing was on the wall. Houlihan buried the resultant penalty and from here, the 12-time winners eased to victory.

Despite the loss, Doon will still be fancied to progress, however, such a display fell far below what had been delivered under McGrath in the previous two seasons. Donal Coughlan registered a consolation goal but there was little else to console those who’d travelled in support of Doon from east Limerick.

Meanwhile, the other two games in this group – Ahane against Ballybrown and champions Na Piarsaigh’s tie with Monaleen make up a double header on Saturday afternoon. The three games in Group 2 take place across Friday and Saturday.

Scorers for Kilmallock: M Houlihan 1-9 (1-0 pen, 0-4 f, 0-2 65); S O’Brien 1-4; P Connery 0-4; O O’Reilly 1-1; G Enright 0-2; C Hanley Clarke 0-2 f; C O’Connor, G Mulcahy 0-1 each.

Doon: A English 0-10 (0-7 f); C O’Donovan 0-4; Donal Coughlan 1-0; P Ryan 0-2; D Coleman 0-1.

KILMALLOCK: C Hanley Clarke; A Costello, R Egan, J Dwane; M O’Loughlin, C O’Connor, K Hayes; M Houlihan, S Quirke; O Enright, S O’Brien, G Mulcahy; P Connery, P O’Reilly, O O’Reilly.

Subs: C Staunton for Quirke (TS 27-ht), G Enright for O Enright (42), C Staunton for Hayes (49), D O’Brien for Quirke (49).

DOON: T Lynch; C Ryan, T Hayes, C O’Donovan, A O’Connell, M O’Brien, R English; D O’Donovan, C Thomas; S McDonnell, A English, E Richardson; D Coleman, Donal Coughlan, P Ryan.

Subs: G Thomas for Coleman (TS 27-30), G Thomas for Richardson (35), K Maher for Coleman (48), Darragh Coughlan for McDonnell (48), J Ryan for English (55).

Referee: K Guina (Feohanagh Castlemahon).